|
The Costs of Patenting
Patenting is an expensive activity. In
2006, it costs on average between $10,000 (¤7.800) and $15,000 (¤12.000)
to obtain a single U.S. patent using professional assistance. Over
the 20 year lifesspan, each U.S. patent costs approx. $23,000 (¤18.000).
According
to a study commissioned by the European Patent Office, (pdf
file) it costs on average ¤32.000 ($38,000) to obtain a European
patent registered in six European countries. Over the life of
an EPO patent, the costs can reach nearly ¤47.000 ($60,000).
Acquiring a patent
portfolio of any size requires a large cash investment. Patents
that do not contribute to the business goals of the company are
nothing but a burden to the bottom line. Avoiding the investment
in patents which contribute no business value not only saves money
- it helps keep the focus on obtaining high quality patents that
DO contribute business value. |
|
|
"... a rule of thumb is that gaining sufficient
protection for a patent internationally will cost about $100,000.
Filing ten related patents to create a protective 'picket fence'
around the key patents will cost $1 million."
-The Smother of Invention, Forbes Magazine, 2002
|
|